THE
SOCIOLOGICAL CONTEXT OF THE HISPANIC EVANGELICAL CHURCH LEADER IN THE
UNITED STATESBy David C. Byrne, D.Min., M.Div.

National
Demographic Trends For Hispanics

As the United States
has always been a land of immigrants, there have always in its
history been issues of integration and assimilation of peoples of
other cultures. Currently, Hispanics in the United States comprise
the fastest growing ethnic group numerically and are poised to become
America's largest ethnic minority by the year 2010 (Information
Please Almanac [1996], 834). According to the same statistics,
approximately 870,000 will be added to Hispanic America each year
with no expectation of slowing in the immediate future.

Since
early in this century when between the years 1890 and 1930 more than
an eighth of Mexico's population came to the United States (Cockroft
1995, 13), there have been regular periods of rapid Hispanic
immigration to the United States. Due to the proximity of the
originating nations, the large number of people involved, and the
fact that in large portions of the United States Hispanics are the
original American settlers, questions of assimilation become
complicated. Who should accommodate culturally and to what degree?

There is also a question of what constitutes the normative
Hispanic culture. "Hispanic" does not indicate any
particular race but rather refers to a group bound together by a
language and some elements of common culture. Factors such as
nationalism, regional distinctions in language, varying degrees of
oppression or foreign domination historically in the originating
nations, and many other regional differences cause individuals from
the many Spanish-speaking countries in the world to have very
different outlooks and values.

These differences combined with the obvious dissimilarities that
exist between the recent Hispanic immigrants to the United States and
the Hispanics from the United States who have formed a separate
"Tex/Mex" cultural identity combine to create the
multifaceted cultural gem which is the Hispanic community.

Further complicating any assimilation of
Hispanics into non-Hispanic American society are factors of education
and wealth. Statistics are just now beginning to show the development
of an Hispanic underclass with downward instead of upward mobility. A
recent article on the rise of Hispanic poverty in the Houston
Chronicle claims that based on census bureau figures "the
poverty rate among Hispanics in the United States has surpassed that
of blacks" (Goldberg
1996, 1). In 1995 median family income "rose for every other
American ethnic and racial group, but for the nation's 27 million
Hispanics, it dropped 5.1 percent" (Goldberg
1996, 1).

Some studies are now showing that a higher
percentage of Hispanic children live in poverty in the United States
than children of other groups. "As of 1995, 40 percent of
Hispanic children lived in poverty, and many who are recent
immigrants don't even get tallied" (Jones
1996). A 1995 Census Bureau study also reveals that there are
already more Hispanic children in the United States than any other
minority group. There are 12 million Hispanic children compared with
50.8 million non-Hispanic whites and 11.4 million non-Hispanic blacks
(Jones 1996).
The trend shows a young and rapidly growing Hispanic population that
is struggling with poverty.

Although this is a disturbing trend, the other side of the issue
is that the business community is waking up to the reality of a huge
Hispanic market. It is estimated that, "the annual purchasing
power of Hispanic American consumers is now $200 billion, three times
that of all exports to Latin America, and that number will continue
to grow" (Hispanic
Times [1996], 42).

The Hispanic community is a force to
be reckoned with but a force that is just beginning to come into its
own. One of the limiting factors that is frequently cited as slowing
the assertion of Hispanic needs into the American political agenda is
a lack of education. In a study by the Census Bureau in 1995 it was
found that "only 9 percent of Hispanics over age 24 held college
degrees, compared with 24 percent of non-Hispanics". This rate
is "proportionally worse than in 1975 when 5 percent (of
Hispanics) held college degrees compared with 11.6 percent (of
non-Hispanics)" (Goldberg
1996, 1).

In the Houston area the Hispanic
population has been growing vigorously and reflects many of the
national trends. In the years between 1980 and 1990 the Hispanic
population of Harris county has grown at an impressive 75% compared
with an Anglo population which measured an almost level growth rate
of onepercent. If only the city of Houston is considered the
difference is even more marked with Hispanic growth at 60% compared
to a 21% loss in population among Anglos (Klineberg
1994, 8). Houston, like many large cities across the United
States, is becoming an Hispanic city. It is projected that within the
next few years Hispanics in Houston will be the dominant ethnic group
with the largest ethnic population at 39% with Anglos comprising 28%
and African-Americans making up 27.5% of the total population
(Klineberg
1994, 8).

Such rapid growth combined with value specific differences between
cultures has created special concerns for the evangelical church and
its leadership. Hispanics in Houston tend to be both younger and less
educated than other ethnic groups. Thirty-seven percent of Hispanics
in 1994 were under 30 years of age (Klineberg 1994, 9) and more than
one third of all Hispanics are high- school dropouts (Klineberg
1994, 10).

Economically, Hispanics in Houston lag
far behind other ethnic groups with 48% of households earning less
than $25,000 compared to 14% of Anglo households (Klineberg
1994, 10). The growth and neediness of the Hispanic community has
created difficulties for the Evangelical church. Andres Tapia
reported in Christianity Today that, "Rapid Latino growth in
evangelical churches is a point of both pride and consternation for
the historic evangelical denominations. The 100,000 U.S. Latino
evangelicals of 25 years ago have swelled to nearly 6 million today -
more than 20 percent of all U.S. Latinos" (Tapia
1994, 38).

Just as the Hispanic community is not monolithic in nature,
neither is the Hispanic church. Even Evangelical Christianity is
characterized by the strains of diversity. Not only do Evangelical
Christians reflect the diverse cultural and nationalistic
characteristics of their native lands, they also reflect the
denominational diversities of their adopted Protestantism. Often the
Hispanic church leadership does not have the training to bring these
diverse elements together. Hispanics "are divided by theology,
class, politics and national origin. Even language is a point of
conflict; not all young Hispanics can or want to speak Spanish. The
movement's ministers are often 'long on enthusiasm but short on
education'" (Hispanics
turn Evangelical [1994], 1183).

According to Dr. Jesse Miranda, the president of the National
Alliance of Evangelical Ministries, "Hispanics account for
almost all recent growth in evangelical churches, even in
predominantly black and Anglo congregations" (Hispanics
turn Evangelical [1994], 1183). The formation of this alliance of
Hispanic Ministries called by its Spanish acronym "AMEN"
shows the serious concern of Hispanic leaders for bringing the
diverse elements of the evangelical community to a focussed agenda.
Rapid growth among Evangelical Hispanics is both a joy and a threat
for the future Hispanic church. It is a joy as hundreds of thousands
of Hispanics experience new spiritual vitality and relationship with
God. It is a threat to the future church if the present church is
unable to disciple and incorporate the new believers who are looking
for spiritual guidance.

Evangelical Christians are under pressure from within and without.
"Some critics say Latinos become Protestants because they have
been lured away by what Pope John Paul II has called 'rapacious
wolves,' the mostly Anglo-American evangelical missionaries in Latin
America" (Hispanics
turn Evangelical [1994], 1183). Within the Roman Catholic Church
there is significant introspection about the nature of the defection
of Hispanic Catholics to Evangelical Christianity.

Current data is showing a marked
decrease of Hispanics who identify with the Roman Catholic Church.
Some statistics also seem to indicate that while there is rapid
growth among Evangelical groups, there are large numbers of Hispanics
who are abandoning organized religion altogether (In
Touch 1995, 1).

The cry from the Hispanic church -
whether Catholic or Protestant - is for Hispanic leadership that is
prepared for the multicultural ministry required in the United
States. Valentín González who is the director of the
AD2000 movement in Latin America says that, "Ministers need more
education. Today it is not sufficient to say, 'I have a call from God
to be a pastor.' The new generation is university-educated, informed,
and cosmopolitan. They don't want an ignorant pastor" (Sundstrom
1997, 87). This trend in Latin America creates a situation in the
United States in which the Evangelical churches are increasingly
polarized educationally with pastors who are often among the least
educated in the congregation trying to hold the group together.

Writing from the perspective of the
Roman Catholic Church, Demetria Martinez asserts that, "the
health of the entire church depends in large part upon developing
strong Latino leaders, because Latinos are expected to form the
majority of U.S. Catholics in the near future" (Martinez
1995, 16). Simply because of the rapid Hispanic population
growth, Roman Catholicism in the United States is in an Hispanic
leadership crisis.

In the Evangelical Protestant churches across the country the
rapid conversion of Hispanics is causing an even greater pressure to
quickly develop effective leadership. One district superintendent
from the Nazarene church made the half-joking claim to this author
that if he had the Hispanic leadership, he would be able to plant one
hundred churches next week. The opportunity is great, but the need
for more appropriate models for pastoral training is also great.

The Context of Theological and
Ministerial Training For Hispanics in the United StatesTop
of page.

Theological preparation of Hispanics in the United States has
generally followed one of two traditional tracks. The first track is
a Bible school track that is available in a number of cities across
the country and is sometimes available in Spanish. These tend to be
denominational programs that do not address the current ministry
needs of the large number of pastors who are already serving a church
congregation.

Many Hispanic young people are preparing themselves in these
programs and are receiving a good foundation for future Christian
service. Since the majority of these programs are specific to a
particular denominational perspective they are not necessarily
available to Hispanic students from other groups. In Houston the
Christian Church, the Baptists and two independent charismatic groups
have Bible schools with Spanish programs. This is a healthy trend
that will need to expand to other groups in the coming years. This is
the first step toward filling the leadership gap in the Hispanic
Evangelical Church.

The other track for ministerial training for Hispanics are the
traditional seminaries that seek to involve Hispanics in their
English-based program. Many of these are excellent programs that
provide quality theological and ministerial education for the few
Hispanics who can take advantage of them.

Many obstacles stand in the way of
those Hispanic students who would prepare themselves for full time
ministry in the traditionally "Anglo" seminaries. The lack
of a college degree as noted above is a key limitation. Another
limiting factor is a lack of English proficiency among many of the
leaders who are already serving in a church or who are called to the
ministry. Financial concerns are also a major issue as are personal
issues such as family and church responsibilities.

Andres
Tapia also identifies poor high school education, lack of financial
resources, and cultural biases as obstacles for the training of
Hispanic ministers (Tapia
1994, 38). For many of these same reasons Manuel Ortiz writes in
his book, The Hispanic Challenge that "sadly, our evangelical
colleges have made hardly any effort to include the
Hispanic-American" (Ortiz
1993, 129).

This fact is illustrated in that a
total of only 1,670 Hispanics were enrolled in all of the seminaries
belonging to the Association of Theological Schools in 1994. In the
Houston Graduate School of Theology, a multi-ethnic urban school,
statistics show that among the major ethnic groups, Hispanics are the
most under-represented, comprising only 2.5% of the student body. Dr.
Pablo Jimenez, the director of the AETH (Asociación para la
Educación Teológica Hispana) says that "the key is
to increase cooperation between Bible institutes and seminaries"
(Tapia 1994,
38).

A great effort is being made to provide entry points
for Hispanics coming into traditionally Anglo seminaries. Azuza
Pacific University conducts a multi-level program under the
leadership of Dr. Jesse Miranda that provides certificate training in
the community and a masters program that can include an LEP (Limited
English Proficiency) track. Hispanics in this track can take their
first 20 units in Spanish, the second 20 units in bilingual courses
and then finish their program in English. (Miranda
1994, 1).

It is worth noting in this same context that it is not an unmixed
blessing for the Hispanic church when its students study in
established English-speaking seminaries. Those students who do attend
an English-based seminary program are often faced with the same
pressures as national leaders from other countries who come to the
United States to study. It is generally more profitable financially
for a student who has graduated from seminary to pastor an "Anglo"
congregation after graduation than an Hispanic one. Many Hispanic
seminary graduates never find their way into Hispanic ministry. The
opposite is often true as some of the most capable Hispanic leaders
are siphoned away from Hispanic ministry to "Anglo"
ministries.

Dr. David Moran writes in his
dissertation on bilingual and bicultural Hispanic churches that:

The area of Hispanic leadership development must be
thoroughly explored. Some have said that 20,000 church leaders need
to be added before the year 2000 in order to address the Hispanic
challenge before the church. Innovative training programs need to be
developed, especially in light of the high standards of many
denominations and the low educational levels of many Hispanics (Moran
1995, 137).

Organizations such as AETH (Asociación para la Educación
Teologica Hispana) based in Atlanta and HABBM (Hispanic Association
for Bilingual Bicultural Ministries) based in Southern California are
currently being formed in order to address these very issues.

It is the purpose of this project to make a contribution to the
area of theological education for that particular group of
Spanish-speaking Hispanics who are involved in ministry but who do
not have the opportunities for more traditional programs of
theological education or who are not interested in attending such a
program. It is assumed that most of these men and women have the
biblical, theological and spiritual formation required for ministry
in their denominations, but that a significant number of these
ministers are lacking in leadership skills and in their relational
support contacts.

Ministry in the Hispanic communities across the United States
needs to be multiplied many times over. One area of preparation for
such a multiplication is in that of leadership development for
Spanish-speaking pastors and church leaders who are already called
and committed to leading the church but who lack the tools they need
for long-term success. These are people who are often isolated by
language, culture, economics and personal commitments even from their
own denominations.

This is the group which is the ministry focus for the leadership
training program being developed by this author in the southeastern
part of Houston, Texas. Top
of page.

Bibliographic Information:

Cockcroft,
James D. 1995. Latinos in the Making of the United States. New York:
Franklin Watts. Return
to text.